Canadian Sisters’ Message in a Bottle Travels from Nova Scotia to Scotland

Again and again, messages in bottles forge lovely connections between Canadians and Scots. One Scottish woman has even found two messages in bottles from the same Canadian sender! On Canada Day 2017 (which was Saturday, July 1st), Annalea Vardy, age 6, and her sister Isabel, 3, were aboard their grandparents’ sailboat, celebrating Canada’s 150th year of independence. That’s their sesquicentennial anniversary, for anyone who likes long words 🙂 Together with their grandparents, David and Donna, the girls sent a message in a bottle in honor of Canada’s independence. The sisters’ message in a bottle drifted away and the family continued their sailing adventure.

Annalea and Isabel Vardy’s message in a bottle, signed and sent on Canada’s 150th birthday. Photo: The Daily Record.

1985 Message in a Bottle Found

*This 1985 message in a bottle was found back in 2008, but I just found out about it, and I think it’s super cool!*

When Donald Wylie was just 11 years old, he cast a message in a bottle into the sea hoping for a penpal, according to the University of St. Andrews. Well, it took longer than he hoped, but he also got more than he asked for. 23 years later, he gained real-life friends instead of a penpal. Wylie launched his 1985 message in a bottle in the Orkneys, and it washed ashore in 2008 at St. Andrews, northeast of Edinburgh. A Scottish message in a bottle, through and through! It’s not the oldest Scottish message in a bottle, but at 23 years, it’s downright impressive. Continue reading →

A Heartbreaking Loss in Scotland

This might be the most heartbreaking and inspiring message in a bottle I have ever heard of. It involves the deeply painful loss of not one, but two children. The chances of this particular connection seem astronomically small to me, and yet–here we are. No one should have to go through what these two mothers experienced. Even so, these incredibly strong and resilient women are so inspiring, I feel compelled to share their story. Their story also shows just how powerful a simple message in a bottle can be.

The story begins with a happy little boy, Lucas, and his mother, Sascha, living in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2016, according to the Daily Mail. As you can see, Lucas was bright, healthy, and happy.

1982 Message in a Bottle Found on Dry Land

Anyone who has ever renovated an old house knows it involves a bit of archaeology. Who installed this ceiling fan? Why are the walls insulated but not the ceiling? What lunatic placed a light switch inside the shower? Old houses are a grab-bag of choices made by previous owners, some perplexing, others delightful.

Clarke Elsby knows this well–he directs a team of technicians for Richardson & Starling contractors in Dumfries, Scotland.

83 Year Old Message in Bottle Discovered

Living in the world of messages in bottles, there’s a certain level of coincidence that comes with the job. That’s what makes it so cool 🙂 But occasionally something happens that knocks even my socks off! I mean, if the starting point is an 83 year old message in a bottle, you know the story is gonna be good…

Laurence Reid, an Edinburgh resident who recently turned 90, spent his working life as a joiner, constructing the wooden elements of buildings and the like. According to a story published by the Edinburgh Evening News, he recently decided to donate an old carpenter’s plane to the Living Memory Association, which is not exactly a museum, but an organization that nevertheless keeps the past alive.

While there, Laurence and LMA worker Miles Tubbs, struck up a conversation. I can’t imagine the conversation they had that led to this next moment–but somehow Miles got the idea to show Laurence an item the Living Memory Association had recently acquired–a message in a bottle.

The message in a bottle at Living Memory Association. Photo: SWNS.com / Daily Mail